


After the Storm

by americanhoney913



Series: Deanoru One Shots [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Runaways (Comics), Runaways (TV 2017)
Genre: Baby Fic, F/F, Future Fic, Rainbow Baby
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-18
Updated: 2017-12-18
Packaged: 2019-02-16 09:04:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13050852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/americanhoney913/pseuds/americanhoney913
Summary: Nico comes home after a long day of work to find her family exactly where they should be.Or: After all that running, they've finally set down some roots.





	After the Storm

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the Deanoru chat group! Thanks for the inspiration guys!

The house smells like a mixture of incense and freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. There a note of baby powder that seems to hover just below the surface. Nico breathes in the comforting smell and turns to lock the door behind her. 

A snuffling noise from behind her makes her jump, hand already reaching into her messenger bag for the Staff of One. Red eyes blink at her before the clicking of talons across the floor bring Old Lace into the dim light of the hallway. 

“Hey, pretty girl,” Nico says as she puts down the grocery bags and her pocketbook. She scratches under the dinosaur’s chin, earning her an almost bird-like trill. Old Lace’s talons  _ tap tap tap _ across the floor as she follows the witch into the kitchen. “I got you something.” She reaches inside the bag and pulls out a fresh, bloody, plastic wrapped steak from that butchers downtown. 

Old Lace wiggles her tail like a common labrador and her tongue sticks out of her mouth. God, she’s so sweet, but seeing a dinosaur acting like a dog is still weird, even after all these years.

“Here.” She puts the bloody piece of meat inside the giant tub that’s supposed to be Old Lace’s food bowl because it’s the only thing that her mouth would fit in. “Enjoy, OL.” Nico scratches the Deinonychus’ rough skin, earning her a vibrating purr that travels all the way up her arm. “Just don’t make too much of a mess or Karolina’ll throw up in the morning.” Old Lace looks up. “You know how she feels about meat.” Old Lace trills at her before going back to her meal, a piece of fat hanging off of the silver piercing in her nose.

Nico shakes her head and makes her way through the living room to the stairs. She doesn’t even blink when she sees Molly and Klara sprawled out on opposite sides of the couch, the TV casting a soft blue light over the both of them. Their legs are intertwined because Molly's gotten so tall. The witch grabs the large flannel blanket they’ve been using for Old Lace during the colder months and throws it over the two teenagers. Sometimes it’s hard to look at Molly or Klara and see anything but the two kids that built sandcastles on the beach and marveled in awe at the skyscrapers of NYC. 

Molly’s almost a junior in high school now, 16, and Klara’s not far behind. Nico remembers Molly curling up against her side on those hard nights after their parents died, sniffles and tears and everything that comes along with that. It’s been six years since they killed their parents. Since Alex died betraying them. 

“Nico?” Molly’s voice sounds raspy with sleep. She rubs at her blue teddy bear hat-- the one with the beady eyes and the fuzzy ears that are so worn Nico can’t believe it’s still around-- and blinks owlishly up at the witch. “Wa’s goin’ on?” Molly’s word slur as she straddles the fine line between awake and asleep.

“Nothing, Mol.” Nico smiles at the brunette and leans down to tuck the blanket up to Molly’s chin, trying not to think of how grown up she is. “Just go back to sleep.”

“We still goin’ to the beach, t’morrow?”

“Yeah, kid,” Nico says as she presses a kiss to Molly’s forehead. “Karolina promised a day in the sun. And you can never deny that girl her sunshine.”

Molly smiles up at her and tucks herself further into the cushions of the couch. It was a generous donation by Jennifer Walters, She-Hulk, that Nico had worked with once upon a time during her little break from the rest of the Runaways. Unfortunately, as the most comfortable gag gift in the world, it is bright green. The pillows are spaced themed, obviously picked out by Singularity, but a nice bit of color with the ugly green.

“Good night, Mol,” Nico whispers into the darkness of the room. She makes sure to tuck Klara in as well, smile soft as she notices a small rosebud crawling up her wrist. God, even in her sleep, and older, she still reminds Nico of that kid they found in 1907.

The witch moves into the hallway, turning off the TV as she goes. Just because the two mutant teenagers are currently passed out on her sofa doesn’t mean she needs to rack up the electric bill. It’s already hard enough, even with Jennifer and sometimes Carol helping out, but she and Chase have jobs to keep up with what they need. Sometimes Dazzler sends a cut of her winnings. It’s a good thing Chase’s dad bought so many houses before they killed their parents. They’ve already destroyed two of the houses-- not on purpose-- but it’s nice to finally settle down.

Nico crosses her arms and grabs her bag from the hallway before finding her way to the stairs. She keeps her hand on the railing, almost pulling herself up. Fighting against gravity with every step. There’s hardly any light in the hallway, but a soft glow emanates through the doorway of the master bedroom. It’s like a rippling rainbow and Nico’s smile stretches as she imagines what’s behind the redwood door.

She’s halfway there when she finds herself falling. The carpet feels scratchy against her face and she can almost taste the soda Chase spilled last week running after Molly. Dumbass didn’t remember to keep the lid on his cup and tripped over his own two feet.

She growls and spits out pieces of shag carpeting, pressing her hands into the fabric to push herself off the floor. Nico turns to see Chase leaning up against the wall, his legs stretched out to touch the opposite side. What the fuck was he doing in the middle of the hallway?

She stood up and kicked one of his legs. “Chase,” Nico hisses. She kicks him again. “Hey, dumbass.” He grumbles and wiggles a little bit. His signature green hat slides down over his eyes when his head moves against the wall. “Chase, wake up!”

“‘M up.” He squints in the dim light of her phone flashlight. “It’s too late, Nico. Go back to sleep.” 

Nico rolls her eyes and she can imagine Molly saying something about her eyes sticking like that if she does it too much. “Chase, it’s 2 am.” She kicks his side against with her combat boot.

“So?” He scratches his stomach and yawn.

“It’s 2 am and you’re asleep in the hallway.”

“So?”

“God, how are you older than me but still the most immature one on this team?” She steps over his prone form. “Just get to bed.” She waves at the hallway, where multiple doors open to multiple bedrooms. Nico’s eyes narrow. “Why’re you out here anyway?”

He pushes off the floor and tries to lean against the wall, all cool and shit, but he ends up looking like a middle schooler trying to impress his crush with a constipated face. If he’d done that when they were younger and not on the run yet, she would have punched him in the face. “No reason...”

“Molly broke your bed again, didn’t she?”

He scoffs. “How dare you accuse me of....” Nico raises an eyebrow and Chase’s shoulders curl, making him look hunched over. “She thought it’d be a good idea to jump on the bed. I don’t know why because she’s sixteen, but...”

Nico scoops her bag up off the floor and continues down the hallway. It's getting frustrating how much she'd had to drop it in the past half hour alone.  “There’s more than one bed here, dingus. Pick one.” She shoots him a look over her shoulder. He shrugs and shuffles into one of the other bedrooms.

Nico walks toward the master bedroom. God, her job might fucking such, but coming home to this the best. Her family. Her best friends. Her, well, she doesn’t know what exactly Old Lace is, but she’s definitely part of their odd little group. She's definitely not a pet.

The door creaks slightly as she pushes it open. A rainbow of colors dances along the walls, making the whole room look like a planetarium. Nico places her bag on the dresser and grabs her PJs to change in the other room.

She’s halfway through taking off her makeup when arms wrap around her waist from behind. Nico feels soft lips press against the back of her neck. God, this so much better than being on the run. There was hardly any time for real, meaningful relationships. But now, now there was time for everything they never thought they’d have.

“You’re back late.” 

Nico shudders at the sensation of hot breath against her skin. She spins around and finds herself face to face with her girlfriend. Karolina looks beautiful, glowing. Her skin creates constellations on the wall and bathes them both in it’s light. 

“Yeah, the big boss was really riding my ass tonight.” Nico huffs. “I wish that I could have taken over my parents company.”

“But they were--”

“I know. I know.” She shrugs. “Evil and killed people.”

“Your parents might have done some wonderful things but--”

“Can we not talk about this now?” Nico asks as she leans away from Karolina to finish removing her makeup and going through her nightly routine. “I just want to go to sleep with my girlfriend.”

“Okay, come on.” Nico puts down the last makeup wipe, stained with eyeliner and too much blush, and follows Karolina back into the bedroom. The glow follows them and merges with the soft light in the bedroom.

Nico changes into a soft T-shirt and shorts before sliding into bed.

“How’d Hikari do tonight?” She watches as Karolina cradles the bundle in her arms. Their light melds together as she presses the baby to her chest. “Go to sleep fine?”

“She got tired early tonight.” Karolina’s smile is almost as bright as her skin. “Did you know Old Lace is a great babysitter?”

Nico laughs and scoots closer. She runs her fingers through the soft downy black hair on top of the baby’s head. “Yeah, she took care of Mol, remember?”

“Cute, Kar.” Nico pokes her girlfriend’s shoulder. 

There’s a squeak as the mattress moves. Karolina puts the baby between them and pulls Nico closer. “I missed you.”

“I’m sorry I’m home so late. I promise it won’t happen again.”

Karolina shakes her head, blonde hair looking like a golden rainbow waterfall as she moves. Nico cups the back of her neck and pulls her in. Karolina snuggles up to Nico and lets out a sigh. Hikari burbles between them, the light of her skin dancing to mix with her mothers.

“This is so much better than hiding out in the La Brea Tar Pits.,” Nico says as she presses a kiss to the top of Karolina’s head. She reaches down to put her finger in Hikar’s tiny hand and smiles when the baby grips it and mouths at the skin of her arm. “Or living out of the Leapfrog.”

“That last one was only for two weeks,” Karolina argues as she nuzzles against Nico’s neck. She scoffs. “Look, we’re all as safe and as happy as we can be for now. No more running away. No more hiding.”

“God, this is a depressing way to end the night.”

Karolina’s laugh sounds like bells. “Just get some sleep. We’ll be depressed about being ex-Runaways in the morning.”

“Right.” Nico curls around her girlfriend and her rainbow child. Karolina mumbles something into her skin. It sounds like an I-love-you but Nico can’t really tell. When she thinks her girlfriend is fast asleep, she whispers. “Oh, and you’re on breakfast duty tomorrow.”

“I hate you so much,” Karolina whisper, pinching her side. Nico yelps, which makes Hikari wiggle and smack her lips together. 

Karolina laughs again. “Love you took, babe.”

Nico falls asleep to the warmth of her girlfriend’s rainbow light and their baby mouthing at the skin of her wrist, drooling onto the bedspread.

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is my first foray into the Deanoru fandom. I've been reading the Runaways since they first came out. They were the first comic books that actually caught my attention.
> 
> It's nice to see other people becoming fans of this little comic book and the show that it's based on. Thanks guys, and let me know what you think!


End file.
